Minnesota Timberwolves Receive: G Lonzo Ball, F Derrick Jones Jr.
Chicago Bulls Receive: G D’Angelo Russell, 2023 First-Round Pick (MIN)
If the Chicago Bulls don’t get a first-round pick here, they probably don’t play ball.
They still may hesitate. With a mostly aging core, they need to be in win-now mode. If they suspect that Russell is a significant enough downgrade from Ball, they may not care about the value of that first-rounder.
At the same time, if we assume this is merely one of several changes the club makes this summer, it changes the calculus. Some rumors suggest that they’re shopping Nikola Vucevic.
If they manage to flip him for a more defensive-minded big man, they may want to make up that offensive margin at point guard.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: These 3 Trades Send Knicks’ Julius Randle To Chicago Bulls
Lonzo Ball may be a generally more impactful player than D’Angelo Russell, but he’s not on the same level as a pure scorer.
Could that be enough to sway the Bulls towards making this trade?